And, rising from his Seat, he began to pace up and down, while I ran up to _Nan_. But scarce had I reached the Stair-head, when we both heard a heavy Fall in the Chamber below. We cried, "Sure, that is Father!" and ran down quicker than we had run up. He was just rising as we entered, his Foot having caught in a long Coil of Gold Lace, which _Anne_, in her disorderly Exit, had unwittingly dragged after her. I saw at a Glance he was annoyed rather than hurt; but _Nan_, without a Moment's Pause, darts into his Arms, in a Passion of Pity and Repentance, crying, "Oh, Father, Father, forgive me! oh, Father!" "Tis all of a Piece, _Nan_," he replies; "alternate hot and cold; every Thing for Passion, nothing for Reason. Now all for me; a Minute ago, I might go to the Wall for _John Herring_." "No, never, Father!" cries _Anne_; "never, dear Father--" "Dark are the Ways of God," continues he, unheeding her; "not only annulling his first best Gift of Light to me, and leaving me a Prey to daily Contempt, Abuse, and Wrong, but mangling my tenderest, most apprehensive Feelings--" _Anne_ again breaks in with, "Oh! Father, Father!" "Dark, dark, for ever dark!" he went on; "but just are the Ways of God to Man. Who shall say, 'What doest Thou?'" "Father, I promise you," says _Anne_, "that I will never more think of _John Herring_." "Foolish Girl!" he replies sadly; "as ready now to promise too Much, as resolute just now to hear Nothing. How can you promise never to think of him? I never asked it of you." "At least I can promise not to speak of him," says _Anne_. "Therein you will do wisely," rejoins Father. "My Consent having been asked is an Admission that I have a Right to give or withhold it; and, as I have already told _John Herring_, I shall certainly not grant it before you are of Age. Perhaps by that Time you may be your own Mistress, without even such an ill Home as I, while I live, can afford you." "No more of that," says _Anne_, interrupting him; and a Kiss sealed the Compact. All this Time, Mother and _Mary_ were, providentially, out of the Way. Mother had gone off in a Huff, and _Mary_ was busied in making some marbled Veal.